Don’t Reach Borders Directly, Government To Indian Students In Ukraine

Indian students who are in conflict-hit Ukraine should try to move towards the western side of the country and stay in nearby towns and not reach the border directly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or MEA said today.

They should go to the border for crossing into neighbouring Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova only after coordinating with the authorities, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters today.

Over an estimated 8,000 Indians have left Ukraine since the MEA’s first advisory before Russia launched the attack on the east European nation, Mr Bagchi said, adding so far 1,396 students have reached India in six evacuation flights under “Operation Ganga”.

Three more flights are planned in the next 24 hours – two from Bucharest to Mumbai and Delhi, and one from Budapest to Delhi.

The MEA asked students and their parents not to panic about flight availability. “Flights are not the constraint. Please don’t get worried. Once you cross the Ukrainian border, we will ensure more flights. Our main concern is to ensure Indians are able to cross the Ukraine border safely,” Mr Bagchi said.